Welcome to the Year of the Pig!
Did you know these eight facts about the Chinese New Year?
- The Chinese New Year celebrates Spring, it signifies the end of cold days and welcomes the beginning of the year.
- The day before the festival begins is spent cleaning so you can sweep away bad luck and make room for the good. No cleaning is done during the festival.
- Breaking any glass or ceramics during the New Year period is bad luck and any broken shards must be wrapped in red paper immediately. After New Year, they are thrown into a lake or river.
- According to legend, the colour red and firecrackers were used to ward off Nian, a sea-monster who comes to land once a year to hunt humans and animals.
- This holiday causes the world’s biggest migration as the younger generation leave cities and travel back to rural villages to be with their parents and families.
- Traditionally, children are given money in red envelopes or pockets to encourage good fortune in the New Year. This can be extended to friends and employees too.
- You should avoid negative words such as death, pain, ghost, poor and break (among others) during Chinese New Year so as not to encourage any bad energy for the year to come.
- The year of your zodiac animal is based on your birth year and is believed to be a year of bad luck for you. This is because you enter a year of rebirth and so are more vulnerable to evil spirits. You can ward them off as much as possible by wearing red.
Which zodiac animal are you?
The pig- 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1983, 1959
The rat- 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948
The ox- 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949
The tiger- 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950
The rabbit- 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951
The dragon- 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952
The snake- 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953
The horse- 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954
The goat- 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955
The monkey- 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956
The rooster- 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969, 1957
The dog- 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958
